Chronicle Editor
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
Beitbridge Municipality has so far received $8 687 million from Treasury in that last two years as part of Government’s efforts to transform the town into a medium city.
The money has largely been used to boost the council’s capacity to address water and sanitation-related service delivery issues.
Prior to the latest move by Government, the local authority has been struggling to meet its obligations to the ever-ballooning population due to a limited revenue base.
The town currently has an estimated population of 70 000 people and plays host to at least 15 000 people who use Beitbridge border post daily under normal circumstances.
Recently the town unveiled a backhoe loader which is part of the equipment bought using devolution funds.
Town clerk, Mr Loud Ramakgapola said so far, they had acquired a backhoe loader, refuse compactor, Giga jetting machine, heavy-duty billing printer, a vehicle for the sewer section, and aircon for the server room.
He said they have taken delivery of the refuse compactor, backhoe loader, aircon for the server room, the heavy-duty printer, and that they had also installed the VOIP telephone system.
“The backhoe loader has arrived. We bought the machine for $1,18 million using devolution funds.
The machine was ordered towards the end of the year when we made two-part payments amounting to $1,18 million.
We have been waiting for the machine since the beginning of the year and we are happy our supplier has delivered,” said Mr Ramakgapola.
He said they also want to buy a tipper, a grader, and a compressor under the same devolution initiative.
In addition, he said, next year they will add the construction of an additional primary school on the council’s to-do list among other projects.
Mr Ramakgapola said some of the funds will be spent on improving waste management.
Beitbridge residents and businesses are reportedly producing an estimated 1 000 tonnes of solid waste monthly and the local authority is only able to collect between 700 and 800 tonnes.
Online Reporter